The azure seas and white coral beaches
of Lakshadweep and the tropical lushness of Andaman & Nicobar have been
identified as tourism growth zones with nine islands selected as part of a Niti
Aayog masterplan.
The islands are being seen as drivers of
tourism and sustainable economic development on the lines of countries like
Singapore that use water parks and natural resources to promote tourism,
overcoming limited land areas while being mindful of conservation.
Given ecological sensitivity of the
islands, capacities will be limited, though current options for tourists will
be improved. Options in Lakshadweep, which is seen as a high end tourism
destination, are limited compared to Andaman & Nicobar.
Among the islands identifi Among the
islands identifi ed are Smith Island, Ross Island, Avis Island and Long Island
in Andaman & Nicobar.In the Lakshadweep, Bangaram, Thinnakara, Suheli,
Cheriyam and Minicoy are among those slotted for development.
There are tourist facilities in
Lakshadweep, but these are limited to Bangaram and a few other islands.
"We are working on a masterplan for sustainable development of the nine
islands," said Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant. The inclusion of Little
Andaman, the biggest island in the chain with an area of 734.34 sqkm, almost
equal in size to Singapore, came in for detailed discussion.
According to Vivek Rae, former petroleum
secretary who served as chief secretary of A&N Islands, Singapore has earmarked
10% of of its area for parks and natural resour ces and is also ranked fourth
globally in the environment performance index.
In contrast 90% of the Andaman &
Nicobar islands are notified as reserved or deemed forest with only 6% of land
available for development. The plan has gained momentum after a recent PMO
announcement that the islands will be selected for infrastructure, tourism,
agriculture (organic and fisheries) and renewable energy development.
Article
By : Mr. Mahendra Singh (ET)
No comments:
Post a Comment